History of Istanbul
With advent of cheap flights to Turkey many have been drawn into exploring Istanbul, one of the most fascinating and historically significant cities in the world.
Many people believe the birth of Istanbul, Turkey goes as far back as a mythological legend that tells of Zeus falling in love with Io, the daughter of the King of Argos. Zeus changed Io temporarily into a heifer in order to keep her safe from his wife, Hera’s anger. In this form Io crossed the Bosphorus strait, took back her true form, and gave birth to a daughter. It is quite an involved story, but Io’s daughter eventually gave her a grandson named Byzas who was the founder of Byzantium. It is ancient stories like this that entice many people to book Istanbul Flights and see just where these ancient stories took place.
Whether or not he was the grandson of Zeus, it was a group led by a man named Byzas who established the colony of Byzantium in the 7th century BC. The spot they chose was where the Bosphorus and Golden Horn come together.
By 100 BC, Byzantium was part of the Roman Empire and in 306 AD Constantine made it the capital of the entire empire. After that it became known as Constantinople. Wars throughout the empire saw the Western half of it fall but Constantinople remained the Capital of the Eastern half of the empire, known as the Byzantine Empire. The city was ruined by riots in about 532 AD but was rebuilt and great monuments like Hagia Sophia (the Church of the Holy Wisdom) remain to this day in tribute to the great culture of the Byzantine Empire. This is just one of the many attractions that bring thousands every year to the city on Istanbul Flights.
By the mid 15th century, Constantinople was so weakened by war that the Ottoman Turks were able to conquer the city. They changed the name to Istanbul and made it the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The city thrived and became a cultural and commercial haven as the harbours enabled trade with other parts of the world.
It wasn’t until World War I that the Ottomans were defeated and the city was occupied by the allies for nearly 5 years. In October of 1923 the Turkish army drove out the last remaining armies from other countries and a new independent government was created.
Today this city that is divided by the Bosphorus straight and lies partly in Europe and partly in Asia brings in millions of visitors on Istanbul Flights. They flock to see the ancient Byzantine ramparts as well as the many amazing Ottoman palaces that are remnants of Istanbul’s great history.
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